Senior Spotlight - Jacob Hearington
Having the right mindset is integral for success, so when senior political science major Jacob Hearington came to Indiana University South Bend, he was determined to get the most out of his education. “I knew I would not be satisfied unless I gave it my best shot,” explains Jacob. “You can go your whole college experience without changing much, and that would be a total shame.”
The strong reputation of the political science program made Jacob confident that he wanted to start his educational journey at IU South Bend. “I have always been interested in the American government and politics. After hearing how good the political science program was here, it was an easy decision for me,” says Jacob. “The political science faculty have been tremendous.”
After being encouraged by Spanish lecturer Dr. Molly Monroe, Jacob decided to expand on the language requirements for his degree to become as well-rounded as possible by minoring in Spanish. “I didn’t want to let my four semesters of Spanish go to waste by not continuing to work at it,” explains Jacob. “Being bilingual is such an important life skill. I wasn’t sure at first, but [Dr. Monroe] really helped me believe I could do it.” In his spare time, Jacob’s goal is to continue developing his Spanish proficiency by listening to Spanish podcasts and watching TV shows.
In addition to his dedication to his academic success, Jacob is also highly active in campus student life. Rather than make the commute from his hometown of Buchanan, Michigan, Jacob has opted to live on campus in River Cross Campus Housing. “It’s been great, I love my roommates,” says Jacob. “We have a lot of fun!”
Jacob also works on campus in the Career Services Office, and is involved with the Honors Program, Political Science Club, and has served as an intern for the American Democracy Project. He is set to graduate this May, with plans to go into law school after taking a gap year to gain relevant work experience. “I’ve enjoyed every minute of my time here. I have learned a ton, and feel like I’ve really grown as a person.”
